PTSA meeting focuses on drug abuse

Eloise GrahamStaff WriterAfter a spike in drug-related arrests on campus, concern from administrators and parents is growing.The hot topic at Samo’s latest PTSA meeting was drug arrests on campus, which have increased from a total of 17 in the 2009-10 school year to 35 in this semester alone.“Since the beginning of the school year, Officer Jaen and I have physically arrested 24 subjects and issued ten citations for marijuana possession. 15 students from 14-18 years of age have been charged with narcotics possession,” Officer Sean Stockwell of the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) said at the Jan. 18 meeting.According to PTSA president Debbie Mulvaney, the meeting was already scheduled, but the topic was changed in an attempt to spread awareness among parents on the rising issue of illegal use of prescription and other drugs. Members of the SMPD and Samo administrators attended the meeting to serve on a panel for an arranged Question and Answer session. Mulvaney explained that the meeting was designed to help parents assess their children's possible involvement with drugs based on their behavioral patterns, and how to deal with the situation.“The number one thing to do it talk to your kids,” Sgt. Robert Almada of the SMPD said. “You have to check in with them every day — first before they go to school and after they come home from school.”According to Sgt. Greg Smiley of the SMPD, there is no trend as to who or what groups of people are doing drugs.“It runs the line from race to age; it’s kind of all over the place. Who has it, who’s selling it, who’s giving it away — there’s no trend whatsoever as far as any of the factors that would come up,” Smiley said.According to Almada, drug use at Samo has increased overall: methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana, MDMA (Ecstasy) and alcohol usage is more prevalent this year. According to Stockwell, the use of prescription drugs — such as Xanex, Vicodin, and Vallium — has also increased.According to drugabuse.gov, there are three types of prescription drugs: opioids, stimulants and central nervous system depressants. Regardless of the type of drug, all can be dangerous or possibly fatal when misused.I-House Principal Renée Semik says that the drug problem is serious, but hopes that parents will be able to have calm discourse with their children about the issue.“Is it important? Absolutely. Is it a concern? 100 percent. However, I don’t want [parents] to panic knowing that,” Semik said.